Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Sweet Waters


CAROBINI, JULIE
SWEET WATERS

What happens when the fairy tale turns out to be a soap opera?

Tara Sweet is nothing if not sensible. Usually. But her engagement is off, and her mother -- yes mother -- is newly married and gallivanting around Europe. It's time for a change. So she convinces her sisters to honor their father's final wish and rediscover the fairy-tale life they knew in Otter Bay, California. But Tara discovers fairy tales are fragile -- and truth is often one ugly layer after another of secrets, accusation, rumor, and a past an entire church wants to forget.

Firefighter Josh Adams knows all about battling personal demons. He's been doing so ever since a woman nearly died in his arms. Actually, long before...

As the turbulence in their lives grows, Tara and Josh find themselves at odds with their families, their faith, the townspeople of Otter Bay -- and each other. Only in facing the lies from the past can they find the truth. And only in finding the truth can they be set free.

UNIQUE BECAUSE OF IT'S PRESENT TENSE FIRST PERSON, POINT OF VIEW, READING SWEET WATERS MADE ME FEEL LIKE I WAS ACTUALLY LIVING INSIDE TARA'S SKIN. WATCHING THE STORY UNFOLD FROM ONLY HER IMPRESSIONS MADE FOR A VERY INTERESTING -- AND REFRESHING -- PERSPECTIVE .

AND CAROBINI HAS DONE HER HOMEWORK ON CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT! I FELT LIKE I WAS TARA AND THAT CONNECTION REALLY BROUGHT MORE MEANING AND EMOTION TO THE READING EXPERIENCE.

EVEN THOUGH WE SEE ALL THE OTHER CHARACTERS THROUGH ONLY TARA’S EYES, CAROBINI HAS DONE A WONDERFUL JOB OF BRINGING THEM TO LIFE. THE SWEET FAMILY DYNAMICS IN PARTICULAR ARE LAYERED IN COMPLEXITIES. AND THEN THERE’S THE WONDERFUL INHABITANTS OF OTTER BAY -- RICH WITH PERSONALITIES. THEY HELP PROPEL THE STORY…AND ALL ITS GLORIOUS ANGST…ALONG.

JOSH AND TARA’S TANGLED RELATIONSHIP IS RIFE WITH MISUNDERSTANDINGS, AWKWARDNESS, AND STRIFE…BUT IT IS ALSO FILLED WITH HOPE AND FORGIVENESS. THEIR PERSONAL STRUGGLES PULL THEM APART, BUT CAROBINI EXPERTLY WEAVES THEIR LIFE STORIES TOGETHER AND TOWARDS A POWERFUL CONCLUSION.

SWEET WATERS IS ALSO ABOUT DISCOVERING FAITH – BOTH NEW FOUND AND LIFE LONG. I'VE LEARNED THAT MOVING ON MEANS LETTING GO OF EVERYTHING --EXCEPT MY FAITH. IT'S A TENDER STORY THAT LEAVES YOU WITH A SMILE ON YOUR FACE AND A FEELING OF HOPE IN YOUR HEART.

3 comments:

  1. Sounds good. First person narrative is hard for me to get into sometimes. Think I'll have to see if the library has it.

    BTW, just read that Skate Canada will be answering locations of the 2012 competitions on Feb. 22. Maybe you'll get to go to Nationals or the Grand Prix Final. ;)

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  2. That's supposed to read announcing locations, that's what I get for writing something when I'm dead tired, lol.

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  3. Hi Michelle -- I'm not big on first person either -- especially present tense -- but it works in this book. I was engaged from the first page.

    And thanks for the info about Skate Canada. I've been looking for that announcement. Usually they announce the next Nationals location at the current Nationals competition. LOL, if that makes sense.

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